Improvement in stopping millstones



UNITED; STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABIER REEDER, OF BUOKINGHAM, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN STOPPING MILLSTONES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patel: No. 38,761, dated June 2, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that :I, ABNER REEDER, of Buckingham, Bucks county, Pennsylvania, have invented a Device for Stopping Millstones; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention consists of a funnel pr its equivalent arranged in respect tothe libpper of amill substantially as described hereinafter, in combination with the deviceshereinafter set fJrth, or their equivalents, through the medium of which the rising of the said funnel or its equivalent, when released from the weight or pressure of the grain, will cause the power from which the stones derive their motion to be arrested, and thereby prevent accidents from fire and injury to the stones themselves.

In order to enable others skilled in the construction of mills to make my invention, I will now proceed to describe the manner in which the same may be carried into effect.

On reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is an elevation of sufficient of a flouringmill to illustrate my invention; and Fig. 2, a section on the line 1 2, Fig. 1. I

Similar letters referto similar parts in both views.

The uprights A and cross-beams B, B, B and B represent portions of the frame-work of an ordinary flouring-mill. From the beam B depends a hanger, 0, slotted at the end for the reception of the lever D, which is hinged to the said hanger by means of a pin, a. The other end of the lever D projects through and rests in a yoke, E, which is securedto the beam B, and to the frame-work directly beneath this end of the lever is secured the usual hopper, F, for receiving the grain and directing the same to the stones. Within the hopper F is a funnel, G, of such a size that its lower end projects a short distance through the opening in the lower end of the said hopper, this funnel G being suspended by a cord or chain, d, from the end of the lever D, the cord being looped so as to pass over the end of the lever and the loop being retained in its place by the pins 6.

To a hanger, H, secured to the beam B, is

hung a lever, I, from one arm of which is suspended a weight, J, the other arm being rounded, as shown in Fig. 1, and the rounded end bearing against the under side of the lever D.

Over a pulley, K, suspended to the beam B, passes a cord, 2', one end of which is secured to the weighted arm of the lever H, the other end of the said cord being attached to the upper end of a vertical lever, L, which is hung to a pin, 70, on the upright M.

One end of a lever, N, suspended to a hanger, O, projecting from the beam B, passes through a vertical slot in the upper end of the upright M, a plate which is securedto the end of the lever engaging into pins m, projecting from the edge of the lever L, so that the said pins prevent the lever N from rising. The other end of the lever N is weighted and so connected to the sluice gate, if the millstones be driven by water-power; or, if steam-power be used, to a suitable valve for shutting off the steam, or to a clutch or other equivalent mechanism for throwing the shafting, through which motion is communicated, to the stone out of gear.

Itis well known that if the revolving stone of a grinding-mill is permitted to continue its motion after the grain has passed from between the stones they will soon become so heated as to set fire to the wood-work of the mill, an accident which'my above-described device has been devised to obviate.

The different parts being in the relative positions shown in "the drawings, the grain is allowed to pass into the hopper F, filling the funnel G, the pressure or weight of the grain in which is sufficient to counterbalance the pressure applied by the weighted lever I to raise the lever D. So long as there is sufficient grain in the hopper to fill the funnel G and counterbalance the weight J of the lever I the parts will retain their relative positions shown. When the funnel G becomes empty, or nearly so, there is no longer a suflicient weight upon the end of the lever D to resist a ipliances connected therewith, closes asluicegate, or shuts oft the steam, or throws the machinery out of gear so as to stop the revolution of the stone.

It-will be perceived that, however neglectful the attendant may be, there is not the slightest danger to be apprehended from the stones becoming unduly heated or of their being injured owing to the absence of grain.

It will also be obvious that devices differing from those described may be used in conneetion with the funnel G or its equivalent for the purpose of causing the movement of the said funnel to arrest the motion of the stones.

a I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- The funnel G or its e uivalent arranged in respect to the hopper o a mill substantially as described, in combination with the devices herein set forth or their equivalents, through the medium of which the risingof the said funnel or its equivalent when relieved from the weight or pressure of the grain will cause the power from which the stones derive their motion to be arrested, as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ABNER REEDER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. FOSTER, JOHN WHITE. 

